This invention relates to cement-free refractories exhibiting high green strength, improved corrosion resistance, and improved magnesium oxide hydration resistance useful as refractory castables for steel ladles, slag contact areas, ladle sidewalls and bottoms, and the like and as precast refractory shapes, such as well blocks, nest blocks, and the like. More particularly, this invention is directed to hydraulically-bonded monolithic refractories containing a calcium oxide-free binder comprised of a hydratable alumina source and magnesium oxide and which exhibit high green strength, improved corrosion resistance, improved magnesium oxide hydration resistance, and controllable work and set times.
Refractories are useful as components for applications requiring good resistance to thermal shock, corrosion, and erosion when in contact with molten metal. Historically, castable refractories have been formed by incorporating a calcium aluminate cement with refractory aggregate. However, these refractories have defects owing to the calcium aluminate cement used as the binder, especially calcium oxide contained in the calcium aluminate cement.
Castable refractories customarily used are formed by incorporating a calcium aluminate cement with refractory aggregate, such as alumina-silica, alumina, bauxite and the like. The aggregate reacts with the calcium aluminate cement during application, and as a result of this reaction, compounds having a low eutectic point are formed that reduce the heat resistance and high temperature strength of the refractory, increasing the refractory's vulnerability to attack by slags and molten metal. Secondly, structural spalling is present in these castables. Gehlenite and anorthite are formed by the reaction of the calcium aluminate cement with the silic on dioxide and alumina in the aggregate to form a metamorphic layer which results in the structural spalling. In addition, the resistance to chloride gas is low in such refractory castables. The calcium oxide in the calcium aluminate cement can react with the chloride gas to form calcium chloride having a low melting point, thus damaging the refractory castable. Further, castable refractories which use a calcium aluminate cement binder require a moist, humid environment for curing for strength development requiring increased water demand, work times, and set times.
There have been attempts to produce refractory castables wherein the calcium aluminate cement present in such castables is greatly reduced so as to eliminate or moderate these defects. However, low cement refractory castables or cement-free castables can suffer from reduced green strength, reduced slag corrosion and penetration resistance, and difficulties with work and set time control as compared to refractories containing high amounts of calcium aluminate cement.
Phosphate refractory castables have been used as substitutes for calcium aluminate cement-containing refractory castables. These refractory castables are comprised of mono aluminum phosphate as a binder and magnesium powder as a hardening accelerator. However, these refractory castables suffer from various defects as well. Low melting point compounds are formed in the P.sub.2 O.sub.5 --MgO system performing the binding action, and as mono aluminum phosphate is water soluble, it migrates to the surface of the castable, causing unevenness of strength. Further, by evaporation of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 in a high temperature reducing atmosphere, such defects such as degradation of the strength and uneven strength are caused. Accordingly, a refractory castable of this type is not suitable for formation of a refractory structure.
Refractory castables containing a hydratable alumina binder, either alone or in combination with microsilica or low levels of calcium aluminate cement, are used as a substitute to calcium aluminate cement-containing refractory castables. While these refractory castables have low water demand, good casting properties, and good strength development, the hydratable alumina binder will not function to give adequate green strength if the curing temperature of the castable is below 60.degree. F. Further, the shelf life of hydratable alumina is very limited as hydratable alumina loses potency after exposure to atmosphere moisture. As a result, the refractory castable will not develop good cured strength after air-setting. In addition, refractory castables comprised of a hydratable alumina binder and microsilica as the binder can suffer from inferior green strength, difficulties controlling work and set times, and decreased corrosion resistance. Therefore, it is apparent that improvements are necessary in the production of calcium aluminate cement-free refractory castables.
The subject invention overcomes the above limitations and others, and teaches a hydraulically-bonded monolithic refractory containing a calcium oxide-free binder comprised of a hydratable alumina source and magnesium oxide which exhibits high green strength, improved corrosion resistance, improved magnesium oxide hydration resistance, and controllable work and set times.